ALGERIAN SPECIAL forces stormed a natural gas plant in the Sahara Desert Sunday, ending a hostage situation that reportedly claimed over 80 lives, including those of the 32 militants who attacked the plant last week. It is unclear if any of the hostages survived.

The group claiming responsibility claimed the attack was a response to military action against comrades in neighboring Mali, where French troops (with British support) and a pan-African force (with American support) are moving against Islamist militants. Although the attack was apparently planned long before the French military was deployed in Mali, the question remains: Who is telling the whole truth about Western military involvement?